Sterilizer



V. MUSSO Dec. 20,1966

STERILI ZER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 12, 1963 v INVENTOR |///vc/vz0 M0550 G ZeJmJJA gam- ATTORNEYS United States Patent M 3,292,993 STERILIZER Vincenzo Musso, 219 Amity St., Elizabeth, NJ. 07202 Filed Mar. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 264,565 7 Claims. (Cl. 21-83) This invention relates to a sterilizer and refers more particularly to a sterilizer which may be used to sterilize instruments as, for example, barbers instruments, in a very short period of time.

Instruments as, for example, those used by barbers, manicurists, etc. require frequent and thorough sterilization to preclude the possibility of bacteria, etc. being transferred to the persons of customers receiving haircuts, manicures and the like. Most barber shops and beauty shops use steam type sterilizers which are very effective in killing bacteria and the like. However, a major drawback of these and other prior art sterilizers is that they have a lengthy operating cycle so that quite often the barber must hold up his work until instruments are available at the end of the sterilizing cycle.

It is, therefore, a primary objective of the present invention to provide a sterilizer for sterilizing barbering instruments and the like which in use effects complete sterilizing in a very short period of time.

Another object is to provide a sterilizer which is simple to operate.

Still another object is to provide a sterilizer which is compact in size and may be installed in an unobtrusive manner in a barbering or manicuring establishment.

A further object is to provide a sterilizer which in use does not require external connection to a hot water or steam service. 7

Other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following specification.

In achieving the aforementioned objectives of the present invention, a sterilizer may be provided which comprises a box-like housing wherein may be supported instruments to be sterilized as, for example, scissors, combs, razors, etc. A motor drive fan is supported at one end of the housing for directing a flow of air over and around the instruments. A support is provided inside the housing at the other end for supporting a bottle or similar container filled with alcohol or similar' antiseptic substance. An actuating rod is supplied in the top of the housing for controlling flow from the antiseptic container. In operation, a spray of antiseptic is directed from the container onto the instrument supported in the housing. The motor-drive fan effects a flow of air within the housing which picks up the antiseptic spray and mixes with it while at the same time the mixture saturates the instruments from all directions and thoroughly sterilizes them.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing, by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a sterilizer constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the cover of the housing being shown in an open position and the instrument tray having been removed.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of sterilizer, a portion of the front wall being broken away.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view as taken along line 1VIV of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view as taken along line V-V of FIGURE 2.

3,292,993 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 FIGURE 6 is a sectional view as taken along line VI-VI of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the instrument tray for supporting the barbers instruments in the sterilizer.

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view partly in section showing the manner in which the instrument tray is removably supported inside the housing during sterilization.

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts.

The sterilizer 10 of the present invention will be described hereinafter by way of example, for use in a bar ber shop for sterilizing barbers instruments. However, the sterilizer is equally suited for use in the kitchen, laboratories and other places where it is desirable or necessary to sterilize instruments and tools of all kinds both quickly and thoroughly.

Referring now in more detail to the construction shown in FIGURES 1 to 6, the sterilizer 10 comprises an elongated base plate 11, a front wall 12, a rear wall 13, end walls 14 and 15, spaced apart top plates 16 and 17 and a hinged cover member 18 for covering the space between top plates 16 and 17. The base plate, front, rear and end walls, top plates and cover member constitute an enclosure or housing wherein may besupported the barbering instruments during sterilization. A fan 19 is supported inside the housing, the drive motor 20 for driving the fan being supported in end wall 14. The cover plate 21 of the drive motor is provided with openings 22 to permit air to be drawn into the housing by the fan.

The other end wall 15 of the housing contains an access door 23 which is hinged to swing outwardly of the end wall 15 to provide access for inserting a bottle of alcohol 24 or other antiseptic substance into the housing. The bottle 24 is fir-mly supported inside the housing by means of a pair of rods 25 and 26 which enclose the bottle at each side, the rods being connected with a transverse member 27 extending between front wall 12 and rear wall 13 and being connected with removable strap 28 which is supported in the rods and extends parallel to transverse member 2-7.

A saddle 29 is firmly connected inside the housing to support the instrument tray 30 (FIG. 7) wherein the instruments to be sterilized are placed and which will be described in more detail later on in the specification. Saddle 29 comprises parallel longitudinally directed bars 31 and 32 which are firmly connected to the inside of front wall 12 and rear wall 13, respectively, and transversely directed bars 33 and 34 connected with the ends of longitudinal bars 31 and 32. Transverse bar 34 is slotted as at 35 (FIG. 1) to permit s-pnay to be directed from bottle 24 onto the instrument tray 30. The saddle 29 supports instrument tray 30 inside the housing in the manner shown in FIGURE 8.

A perforated diffuser plate 36 is provided inside the housing and in front of fan 19 as best seen in FIGURE 2.

An actuator rod 37 is slidably supported in top plate 17 and extends downwardly into the housing wherein its terminal end is flared as at 38 to fit over the nozzle 39 (FIG. 2) of the antiseptic bottle 24. It is contemplated that the antiseptic bottle 24 will preferably be of a bomb type in which case the product therein is under pressure and is discharged by depressing the nozzle 39. A switch 40 is provided for turning the fan 19 on and off and an electric cord 41 is provided to connect the fan with a source of power.

Cover member 18 is provided with a hasp fitting 42 for locking the cover in a closed position to fitting 43 (FIG. 3) carried on front wall 12 near the top. The cover member 18 also has a vent fitting 44 to permit used air-antiseptic mixture to exhaust from the sterilizer.

Referring now in detail to FIGURE 7, the instrument tray 30 comprises a flat plate 45 which is provided with a number of openings 46 which are grouped and sized according to the various instruments which a barber normally employs in his work and which require sterilizing. Firm-1y connected with the plate 45 and arranged under each group of openings 46 are perforated or wire screen cages 47 wherein will be supported during sterilizing the instruments inserted through the various openings.

In operation: I

Assume that a barber 'has used some of his instruments and now wishes to sterilize them before reusing them on another customer. Referring now in greater detail to FIGURE 8, the barber will first insert the antiseptic b-ottel 24 in the sterilizer. This is accomplished by opening access door 23 and removing strap 28. A bomb" type container 24 is then inserted in the housing being positioned between rods 25 and 26 andstrap '28 is replaced on the rods. The nozzle 39 on the bomb is connected to actuator rod 37 and door 23 is closed.

Instrument tray 30 is now filled with the instruments to be sterilized. In practice each instrument (not shown) will extend down into its associated cage 47 with a portion thereof extending above flat plate 45 to facilitate instrument removal after sterilization. The instrument tray 30 is then inserted in the sterilizer housing being supported on saddle 29. Cover member 18 is then closed and locked by means of hasp member 42. The housing is now completely sealed except for the openings 22 in fan motor housing '21 and the vent 44 in cover 18. The user now presses down several times an actuator rod 37 which will cause the bomb" type container to discharge a spray of antiseptic into the housing in the well known manner. Switch 40 is then actuated to turn on fan 19. The fan will force air into the housing wherein it mixes with the antiseptic and flows to all reaches of the housing,

saturating the instruments and completely enveloping them with the antiseptic mixture. The used mixture will,

of course, flow out through vent 44. The user may thereafter repeat the sterilizing process 'as often as desired'by merely injecting more antiseptic into the housing. When the user is satisfied that the instruments have been com pletely and thoroughly sterilized, he merely turns off fan 19, opens cover 18 and removes the instruments from the tray 30.

It is apparent that the sterilizer of the present invention may be utilized to sterilize tools and instruments both quickly and simply without requiring complicated heating service etc.

While there is above disclosed but one embodiment of the sterilizer, it is possible to produce still other embodi ments without departing from the scope of the inventive concept herein disclosed.

What is claimed is:

1.-A sterilizer for sterilizing barbers instruments and the like, said sterilizer comprising an elongated base plate, a pair of end walls firmly connected with each end of said base plate, a front wall firmly connected with and extending between said end walls, a rear wall firmly connected with and extending between said end walls, said base plate, said end walls and said front and rear walls constituting a box-like enclosure, having an open top, a cover swingably connected with an upper portion of said rear wall and being adapted in a closed position thereof to cover the top of said box-like enclosure, an antiseptic containing bottle disposed within said enclosure adjacent one end wall and having a depressible discharge nozzle positioned to spray antiseptic'material in the direction of the opposite end wall, supporting means carried in said box-like enclosure for supporting said antiseptic containing bottle in an upright position within said box-like enclosure, actuator means slidably supported in said enclosure and having one end thereof protruding outwardly of said enclosure for manual operation and an opposite end within said enclosure operatively engagable with said discharge nozzle for depression thereof perforated tray means removably supported within said boxlike enclosure alongside saidsupporting means and below said cover when said cover is in said closed position, said tray means being adapted to hold barbers instruments for a sterilizing, and fan means disposed within said enclosure adjacent said opposite end wall and having f-an elements positioned to blow air across said tray means in the direction of said one end wall, said opposite end wall being 1 provided with an air inlet opening for said fan means and said cover being provided with an outlet opening for the used air-antiseptic mixture. 2. A sterilizer in accordance with claim 1 wherein sai tray means comprises a substantially flat plate having a plurality of openings extending therethrough, and perforated cages firmly connected with said flat plate and extending a distance below said openings, said perforated cages being adapted to hold barbers instruments during sterilizing.

3. A sterilizer for sterilizing barbers instruments and the like, said sterilizer comprising an elongated base plate having parallel front and rear margins, a pair of upstanding end walls firmly connected with and extending between said margins, an upstanding front wall firmly connected with the front margin of said base plate and extending between said end walls, an upstanding. rear.

wall firmly connected with the rear margin of said base plate and extending between said end walls, said baseand extending transversely between said front and rear walls within said box-like enclosure and adjacent said one end wall, a pair of parallel arranged rods firmly connected with said bar and extending longitudinally in said box-like enclosure in the direction of said one end wall, a strap removably connected with said rods and extending parallel to and spaced from said bar, said strap, said rods and said bar constituting a support for supporting said antiseptic containing bottle in an upright position Within said box-like enclosure, actuator means slidably supported in said enclosure and having one end thereof protruding outwardly of said enclosure for manual operation and' an opposite end within said enclosure operatively engagable with said discharge nozzle for depression thereof; a tray supported within said enclosure and having a plurality of separate perforated compartments and being adapted to hold barbers instruments in each of said compartments for sterilizing; saddle means within said enclosure for removably supporting said tray within said box-like enclosure below said cover when saidcover is in said closed position and alongside said support, and

fan means carried in said opposite end wall and having.

fan elements positioned to blow air across said tray in the direction of said one end wall, said opposite end wall being provided with an air' inlet opening for said fan.

means and said cover being provided with an outlet opening for the ,used air-antiseptic mixture. 1

4. A sterilizer in accordance with claim 3 wherein said one end wall is provided with an access door for providing access to the interior of said'box-like enclosure for.

inserting an antiseptic containing bottle in said support. 5. A sterilizer-in accordance with claim 3 wherein said saddle means comprises a pair of elongated longitudinally directed bar members firmly connected with the inner sides of said front and rear walls respectively, and transverse bar members firmly connected with the ends of said longitudinally directed ba-r members and extending between said front and said rear walls.

6. A sterilizer in accordance with claim 3 wherein said cover is provided with locking means for locking it to said front Wall in a closed position.

7. A sterilizer for sterilizing Ibarbers instruments and the like, said sterilizer comprising an elongated base plate having parallel front and rear margins, a pair of upstanding end walls firmly connected with and extending between said margins, an upstanding front wall firmly connected with the front margin of said base plate and extending between said end walls, an upstanding rear wall firmly connected with the rear margin of said base plate and extending between said end walls, a pair of spaced top plates each firmly connected to .a respective end wall and extending a distance in the direction of each other; said base plate, said end walls, said front and rear walls and said top plates constituting a box-like enclosure having a large central opening at the top defined by the space between said top plates, a cover swingably connected with an upper portion of said rear wall and being adapted in a closed position thereof to cover the opening in the top of said box-like enclosure; an antiseptic containing bottle disposed within said enclosure adjacent one end wall and having a depressible discharge nozzle positioned to spray antiseptic material in the direction of the opposite end wall, a bar firmly connected with and extending transversely between said front and rear walls within said box-like enclosure and adjacent said one end wall, a pair of parallel arranged rods firmly connected with said bar and extending longitudinally in said box-like enclosure in the direction of said one end wall, a strap removably connected with said rods and extending parallel to and spaced from said bar, said strap, said rods and said bar constituting a support for supporting said antiseptic containing bottle in an upright position within said box-like enclosure, actuator means comprising a rod slidably supported in one of said top plates over said support and having one end thereof protruding outwardly of said enclosure for manual operation and an opposite end within said enclosure operatively engagable with said discharge nozzle for depression thereof; a tray supported within said enclosure and having a plurality of separate perforated compartments and being adapted to hold barbers instruments in each of said compartments for sterilizing; saddle means within said enclosure for remova'bly supporting said tray within said box-like enclosure below said cover when said cover is in said closed position and alongside said support; and fan means carried in said opposite end wall and having fan elements positioned to blow air across said tray in the direction of said one end wall, said opposite end wall being provided with an air inlet opening for said fan means and said cover being provided with an outlet opening for the used air-antiseptic mixture.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,223,490 4/1917 Hollis 2183 1,267,322 5/1918 Hollis 2183 1,844,270 2/1932 Bugg 21-91 2,047,973 7/1936 Lawton et al. 211O9 2,065,895 12/1936 Jandat 2193 2,225,817 12/1940 Arnold 2193 X 2,490,344 12/ 1949 Fisher 2191 3,076,745 2/1963 Eames 21121 X JOSEPH SCOVRONEK, Acting Primary Examiner.

J. ZATARGA, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STERILIZER FOR STERILING BARBER''S INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE, SAID STERILIZER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BASE PLATE, A PAIR OF END WALLS FIRMLY CONNECTED WITH EACH END OF SAID BASE PLATE, A FRONT WALL FIRMLY CONNECTED WITH AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END WALLS, A REAR WALL FIRMLY CONNECTED WITH AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID END WALLS SAID BASE PLATE, SAID END WALLS AND SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS CONSTITUTING A BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE HAVING AN OPEN TOP, A COVER SWINGABLY CONNECTED WITH AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID REAR WALL AND BEING ADAPTED IN A CLOSED POSITION THEREOF TO COVER THE TOPS OF SAID BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE, AN ANTISEPTIC CONTAINING BOTTLE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE ADJACENT ONE END WALL AND HAVING A DEPRESSIBLE DISCHARGE NOZZLE POSITIONED TO SPRAY ANTISEPTIC MATERIAL IN THE DIREACTION OF THE OPPOSITE WALL, SUPPORTING MEANS CARRIED IN SAID BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE FOR SUPPORTING SAID ANTISEPTIC CONTAINING BOTTLE IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITHIN SAID BOX-LIKE ENCLOSURE, ACTUATOR MEANS SLIDABLY SUPPORTED IN SAID ENCLOSURE AND HAVING ONE END THEREOF PROTRUDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID ENCLOSURE FOR MANUAL OPERATION AND AN OPPOSITE END WITHIN SAID ENCLOSURE OPERATIVELY ENGAGABLE WITH SAID DISCHARGE NOZZLE FOR DEPRESSION THEREOF PERFORATED TRAY MEANS REMOVABLY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID BOX- 